As we turn to the book of II Samuel, we read the ongoing saga of King David. Samuel had died, even before Saul. In the Jewish Bible these are named I and II Kings; but in ours it is II Samuel most likely because it had been Samuel who anointed both Saul and then David. The story begins with ongoing turmoil in the land, ultimately to settle into peace and prosperity under King David. At least for a time. David was only 30 years of age when crowned King. Although, the time prior to this had seemed much longer with all the twists and turns. For the first 20 years, all went well. Israel expanded their territory. Every household prospered. But then one decision changed triumph to tragedy. Sin, with all its consequences then plagued David’s life. The Sovereign Grace of God won declaring victory in the end.
Sin has a way of doing that. It seeps into our lives. Hardly aware it leads to one decision. One decision that led to many unforeseen consequences. Despite his repentance and his position with God being restored, King David would watch the consequences play out tragically through the lives of his sons and his people. Yet the grace of God won the victory. The line that marched forward to the birth of Jesus Christ marched always forward in spite of the failures of humanity. God’s Sovereign Grace would prevail. It marches on today. The penalty of sin was paid at Calvary and the Victory won as Jesus rose from the grave. One wondrous day, He will return. There will be a new heaven and a new earth where we will be with Him forever. Yet, for now even one decision can turn triumph into tragedy in our life as well.
One Decision to Stay
Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they brought destruction on the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1 (NASB)
Up until this time, David went to war with his troops. This was the custom. Was it pride that kept him behind? Or had he decided that war was for the younger men. After all, he was comfortable in his palace surrounded by servants.
2 Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 3 So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers and had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5 But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, “I am pregnant.” 2 Samuel 11 (NASB)
Note that David was given a warning in a sense. Someone said, this is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah. David, she is married and she is someone’s daughter. But by then, he was smitten with desire and heard nothing of what they said.
One Decision leads to another
Now that one decision not to go to war, lead to a restless night which lead to temptation. After all that, then begins the attempt to cover up his sin. As though he thought he could cover it up from God as well. Besides how many of his servants knew of all this.
So, he sends for Uriah who proves more noble than the king. Even after bringing him home, Uriah refused to go to his house and sleep with his wife. He was an honorable man.
10 Now when they informed David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” 2 Samuel 11 (NASB).
Then David wrote a letter to the head of his army and gave it to Uriah to deliver it sealed.
Station Uriah on the front line of the fiercest battle and pull back from him, so that he may be struck and killed.” 16 So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died. 2 Samuel 11 (NASB)
David married Bathsheba and the baby died.
Far Reaching Consequences from One Decision
Never can we look to say what could have, would have, or should have been had David not made that one decision to stay home from battle. But we do know that God’s works His wondrous plans to fruition and certainly doesn’t need us to sin for Him to do so.
God had said that many nations would come from Abraham. That did not justify Abraham’s sin with Hagar. Sin has far-reaching consequences. In the case of David, the remainder of the chapters are just that.
His oldest son Amnon looked lustfully upon his half sister and set out a plot to sexually violate her—then cast her aside. Her brother Absalom then plotted and killed Amnon.
All made worse because the King did not punish or judge his sons. Perhaps his own guilty hands prevented it. Had he not done the same.
Absalom later tried to take over the Kingdom from his father. David had to run for his life from his son.
But the grace of God restored David and even gave the kingdom to Solomon, the son of Bathsheba. And it was through Solomon that the lineage to Jesus was outlined to Joseph. But it was Nathan, another son of David, who had the blood line to Mary—not Solomon.
Jesus Christ, the true King foretold was born to a virgin in the little town of Bethlehem. It was and always is the Sovereign grace of God that won and wins still today.
Does Repentance Alter the Consequences of Sin?
David had repented. Albeit his repentance we know was delayed at least for a time. Nathan the prophet (not the same Nathan as his son), came to David to confront him with his sin.
Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,
“There were two men in a city, the one wealthy and the other poor.
2 The wealthy man had a great many flocks and herds.
3 But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nurtured;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat scraps from him and drink from his cup and lie [c]in his lap,
And was like a daughter to him.
4 Now a visitor came to the wealthy man,
And he could not bring himself to take any animal from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the traveler who had come to him;
So he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this certainly deserves to die! 6 So he must make restitution for the lamb four times over since he did this thing and had no compassion.” 2 Samuel 12 (NASB).
This was an example. Note David’s wrath against the man. The law would have said regarding the lamb, the man should restore it 4-fold. But David proclaimed the death penalty for the crime. At least until
2 Samuel 12: 7-15
7 Nathan then said to David, “You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I also gave you your master’s house and put your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, by doing evil in His sight? You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
10 Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 This is what the Lord says: ‘Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 Indeed, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in open daylight.’”
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die. 14 However, since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.
And Absalom, years later, did sleep with David’s concubines on the rooftop for all of Israel to see.
So, what about us? Can one Decision turn triumph to tragedy?
There is no doubt that one decision can change the course of our life. But remember this. The Sovereign Grace of God won the victory for us. We will not be cast aside or thrown out of His loving arms. Jesus Christ finished the work for us. Will there be natural consequences which will affect our life? Certainly, but then the grace and peace of God will carry us through them to final victory as we lay them at His feet, His peace will restore us to a joyful relationship with Him?
Then, should we like David, not admonish our children because we also sinned? Absolutely not. We must tell them with sincerity the cost of our own sin along with our desire that they avoid that pain. So let us end with David’s prayer of repentance for His sin.
PSALM 51 (NASB)
51 Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.5 Behold, I was brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in secret You will make wisdom known to me.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
Cleanse me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.10 Create in me a clean heart, God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips,
So that my mouth may declare Your praise.
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.18 By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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